Boating safety course in Fort Myers aims to prevent tragic crashes

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering a boating safety course as more people prepare to take their boats out this spring following several deadly watercraft crashes in Southwest Florida.

In December, three Cape Coral community members died after a boat crash. In September, two people were killed in a jet ski crash in Marco Island.

WINK News reporter Paul Dolan said safety experts believe these deadly crashes highlight why classes like this matter. They say too many people head out on the water without fully understanding the basics.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering a NASBLA-approved boating safety course in Fort Myers. The class covers the rules of the water, how to read navigation markers, what safety gear boaters need on board and how to handle emergencies.

The course also teaches boaters how to watch for changing weather, understand tides and currents and avoid dangerous situations before they happen. Officials say the course is about more than just meeting legal requirements or getting an insurance discount—it's about giving people peace of mind when conditions change fast on the water.

Boating safety expert Robert Scott told WINK News that trusting your instincts is vital.

"If you're not comfortable being out in that kind of weather or you think that it might be unsafe, I would trust your instincts on that and not go out," Scott said.

The class runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., costs $45, and students under 17 can attend for free with an adult. For more info or to sign up, click here.